


Nice Shiner

by dyingpoet



Series: newsies ships of new york [4]
Category: Newsies - All Media Types
Genre: Canon Era, Fluffy Ending, M/M, Minor Injuries, like theres descriptions of bruises as shit but it aint bad
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-03-24
Updated: 2019-03-24
Packaged: 2019-11-29 02:20:18
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,269
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18216881
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dyingpoet/pseuds/dyingpoet
Summary: Elmer walks into lodging looking beat to hell and two particular newsies are unamused





	Nice Shiner

**Author's Note:**

> done for a trade w @backgroundnewsies on tumblr!!! i hope u like it bb!!!

Elmer had honestly considered not going back to lodging at all that night, not that he had anywhere else to go, but sleeping on the street might actually be better than having to deal with everyone when he got back. Well, everyone meaning Jack and Albert mostly, Race would probably give him a clap on the back and everyone else wouldn’t bother fussing over him. 

The black eye and split lip weren’t exactly easy to hide, and as much as he’d convinced himself he’d covered up the limp, Jack was used to picking out when Crutchie was struggling, so that would be out the window the second he walked in too. And it was.

“The hell happened to you?”

Wistfully Elmer looked back at the lodge house door, the alley was sort of warm, kind of dry, right? But Jack had both hands on his shoulders and was leaning in to look at his face before he could bolt. 

“El, what happened?” he asked again, eyes searching Elmer’s with worry, but also enough anger that Elmer knew he wanted a name. 

Shifting to get a bit more distance between them, Elmer caught sight of Albert coming down the stairs and almost groaned; this was fantastic. “Nothin’, it’s fine Jack, really-”

“Elmer?” Albert asked, alarm clear in his voice as saw the two of them and made his way over.

Before he could ask what happened Elmer pulled away from Jack’s grip and took a step back. “Guys, it’s fine, I got into a scrap, I ain’t even hurt that bad.”

Albert snorted, shoulder to shoulder with Jack now, who was still scanning the rest of Elmer for injuries. His eyes landed on Elmer’s left side, which was aching more and more the longer he stood and forcing him to tilt over a little bit.

“You ain’t standin’ too good,” Jack said, once again bridging the gap between them and pulling at the hem of Elmer’s shirt. “Lemme see your ribs, and don’t tell me they ain’t hurtin’.”

Cursing himself for not hiding it better, Elmer sighed, looking at Albert and getting a frown and a curt nod in agreement with Jack. He should’ve just slept outside. 

Lifting up his shirt to expose his torso, Jack let out a low whistle and Albert stiffened at the sight of it. His whole left side had turned a light purple already, darkening from earlier and looking like it was getting worse, and there were a few light cuts on his stomach from where he’d gotten kicked; the guy had on boots with the metal tips, hurt like a bitch. 

“Fuck, kid, this ain’t good,” Jack said, brushing the bruises lightly with the back of his hand and pulling back when Elmer flinched. “We gotta wrap these up, you shouldn’t even be walkin’.”

Elmer pulled down his shirt hastily as Jack gripped his forearm and started leading him to the stairs toward the bunk room, where they’d stashed whatever they could swipe for when kids got hurt. 

At the base of the stairs Jack pulled Elmer’s arm to hook over his shoulders, using the other to wrap under his other arm, trying to take some of the pressure off while they walked. 

“And while we’re cleanin’ ya up you can tell us all about the scrap,” Jack said, shooting Elmer a look when he whined, hoping they’d moved on from that. “Yeah, ain’t gettin’ off that easy.”

“Damn straight,” Albert chimed in from behind Elmer. “Names and everything.”

“Sure thing,  _ mom _ .”

He got a slap to the back of the head with that one, but felt the tension lighten a little between the three of them, thank god.

* * *

 

After about an hour of Jack cursing and nearly cutting into Elmer’s side with how tight he was wrapping him up, coupled with Albert grilling Elmer for every detail of the fight he’d gotten into, the three of them were heading back to their own bunks. 'Own' being a relative term, Elmer and Albert shared one and Jack was only sharing with Race that night because his nightmares had gotten worse again. 

“I still think you’se holdin’ back with all the details, Ellie,” Albert said, sitting down on their bunk and narrowing his eyes at Elmer as he did the same. “Don’t really make sense why you was sellin’ by a pub anyway.”

Shrugging, Elmer carefully swung his legs onto the bed, careful not to mess up the tape, and pulled back their cover. “Thought it would get me better sales, drunks ain’t too careful with their money.”

Albert grumbled and crawled under the blanket too, arm hooking around Elmer’s waist almost immediately. “Well, that does sound dumb enough to be somethin’ you’d do.”

“Rude comin’ from the guy who dragged me into bed,” Elmer shot back, voice a whisper as he let Albert pull him closer into his side. They were only able to mess around like this, quietly, if they stayed up later than normal, so Elmer getting his ass kicked wasn’t a total bust.

“Don’t see you makin’ to leave.”

Elmer turned his head to answer and Albert leaned in, kissing him slower than he might have normally, the busted lip probably helping with that. But, Elmer kissed back, a wince escaping him when he tried to turn onto his side more and his ribs tweaked.

“Hey, don’t hurt yourself worse,” Albert said, pulling back and moving to lean over Elmer more. “‘Less you’se into that kinda thing.”

Elmer slapped Albert’s chest, the other boy laughing quietly when Elmer made a face. “Don’t be gross, and shut up a little, would ya? I ain’t ‘bouta get yelled at ‘cause you-”

Albert leaned down and kissed him again, grinning when Elmer giggled into it a bit. But, there was a stirring from the bunk above theirs, and they held the kiss for a second longer before Albert pulled back and flopped onto his side of the bed.

Mush’s head flopped down just as he did, and the older boy frowned at the two of them, hair falling into his face. “Could ya save it for a back alley or somethin’? The rest of us wanna get some sleep.”

Elmer blushed, thankful for the darkness of the room covering it up, but Albert stuck his tongue out and propped himself up on his elbows, glaring back at Mush.

“Like we all don’t gotta hear you and Mush goin’ at it like the world’s endin’ every other day.”

Mush opened his mouth to reply when a hand, Blink’s grabbed his shoulder and pulled him back over the side of the bed.

“All’a you,  _ shut up _ ,” he mumbled, and there was the sound of him and Mush shifting before their bed stilled, and they presumably went back to sleep. 

Elmer stared up a the bed frame above him for a minute or so, Albert’s even breathing convincing him he’d passed out already, and stretched out his legs. Another hooked around his though, and his breath hitched when he turned his head to see Albert grinning over at him. 

“I’m sellin’ with ya tomorrow, just so ya know,” he said, moving to lay on his side next to Elmer, throwing am arm lazily over his chest. “And forever afta that.”

Elmer rolled his eyes through a yawn and tried his best to lean into Albert without hurting his ribs anymore. “Whatever tough guy, g’night.”

“G’night.”

And Elmer’s ribs ached more than they should have from Albert curling around them the next day, but Elmer barely noticed. As far as he was concerned, he had it pretty good.

**Author's Note:**

> ayyy this fic was supposed to continue to something else cute but it got v long?? the second part ill save for another day :)
> 
> as always i hope yall liked this!!! leave kudos/comments if you did!!!


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